Some installations are very sensitive to vibration problems so you have to be very careful about the washer you put in. If you have an such an installation, or you are concerned that you might have such an installation, then your best pick is one of the new hung suspension top loaders. Machines like this are the GE Harmony, the Oasis, the Cabrio, & all of Fisher & Paykel's washers. Of these, the F&P, the Oasis, & the Cabrio all have water filled balancing chambers both on the top, and on the bottom of the drum. They are the only washers on the market that have dual chambers lke this, so they are especialy suitable for sensitive installations, because most of the vibrating forces are cancelled out at the source by the chambers.

Narrow boards glued together into a wider board are not "laminated." In wood, lamination refers to layers glued together in thickness, as in plywood. The frame helps prevent the panel from warping because the rails apply a cross force to the glued-up boards in the panel. This is the major reason for the traditional design, not just to arbitrarily make more work for the cabinet maker. Battens on the back of a slab door provide a similar cross force. Aprons on a table, likewise. In virtually any traditional design with wood, that cross force is applied in some way. Honestly, I think it's a bit silly to "hate" the battens on the inside of a door that prevent it from warping. But if there is no batten, I would choose veneer over plywood for the slab, making sure the same species and thickness of plies on both front and back to minimize warping. MDF is very heavy and often has hinge failures. And be much more careful than normal to make sure the doors remain dry and the finish intact. The idea that you can find cabinet makers who don't use traditional design, or provide warranties, is no assurance the new design will hold up. In the old days, longevity was more valued and expected. (Some) cabinet makers today know that the average kitchen is replaced in X number of years because people move or want a new look. I find that in home construction in my area, it's possible (easy even) to find workers in every trade who will do work in a way that is highly likely to fail prematurely.

Talia -- I'm so glad you decided against the firm! I didn't want to offer an opinion before as I have no experience with a kitchen reno in your budget. Mine was a relatively modest $20k - no structural work but I replaced every single thing. The one thing we do have in common though is that I didn't have time to manage my project either -- but I didn't have a choice, having a "more than full time" job/career. Yet when I fantasized about having a GC, I realized, "who am I kidding? I'm gonna be all over this no matter who is in charge! It's my home!" I did luck out though, finding the best licensed, insured, experienced carpenter, contractor -- George -- I could have found through asking around a LOT. Amazing, really. As the "GC" I hired the electrician, plumber and floor tile guy, (all referrals) but not without consulting George, my carpenter first who had a ton of experience and knowledge of other trades who checked their costs first for me, helped me tweak and negotiate, etc. George helped me with my lighting plan, a rather extensive one, for me and then he came here with me and "supervised" to make sure it was done right and according to plan. When I couldn't get out of a work meeting and get home for my granite install, George jumped in and then fielded a major problem with the island -- cut wrong size -- fabricator error. He called the fab and quickly resolved the problem and a new island top was put in the following week. And George? He removed and demo'd old cabs, installed the new ones and moldings and trim, cleared all trash and did cleanup, made me a second pantry with new door and shelves, put in new sink and faucet, new range and micro, new dishwasher and fridge, moved a misplaced chandelier (my fault) and patched/painted ceiling hole, kicked out the sloppy painter and found me a new one, patched kitchen floor after I decided to move a radiator a month after floor had been done, added new saddles... and I'm sure I missed a few things... which came to about $2,500. I gave him an additional $500.00 which he finally did take... not just for his extra supervision of others (that he throughly enjoyed doing and did so well with a very gentle touch) and jumping over here when I needed him and answering my 1,000+ questions about everything, but for caring about this job as if it were his own home. (I also gave him a like-new circular saw that I used only once some months ago and have been too scared to use again.) I also gave him 2 referrals that have turned into good jobs for him. Really, I feel like I owe him so much more! I think there are some real GEMS out there at reasonable cost that just need to be found. Of course with your budget and plans, you need more than a lone super-dedicated carpenter, but I'm hoping you'll find a firm or KD or GC or all three that will be your "George!" Note to Lovestocook -- I found 2 great Mauviel pieces at Home Goods! More great gems at...

We are in the process of installing an Ikea kitchen right now with custom doors/drawers/panels made by Scherr's. I cannot speak to the durability yet, but so far I am very happy with the functionality. I had the fear also about 'putting lipstick on a pig', but I don't really think this is the case here. I wanted a lot of drawers and I wanted good hardware, and Ikea makes this easy for a very reasonable price. I did not want the Ikea doors however. Using Scherr's allowed me to get exactly what I wanted for looks, with the functionality of Ikea. The only place I'm not 100% sure I made the right decision is with the cover panels. I got flat panels, and they are 3/4" thick instead of the 1/2" that Ikea sells. I did not pay attention to this detail when I ordered from Scherr's, and in one spot in the kitchen, that extra 1/4" over 2 panels is making things harder to fit. Also, I wish I had specified the panels had the rails like the doors/drawers. And I might prefer the looks of the thinner panels. It will all be ok though and I'm very happy with the doors and drawers.